Haj flights for 3 days postponed

Minister for Haj, Auqaf, Floriculture and Public Enterprises Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed on Thursday announced the cancellation of Haj flights from September 5 to September 7.

The flights have been cancelled due to incessant rains and flash flood in the state.

The minister said that the State Haj Committee has also issued a notification in this connection. The new dates for these flights would be notified separately.

The minister, who was on a visit to the Haj House, Srinagar, to take stock of the situation arisen due to water-logging there, said that the issue regarding the postponement of Haj flights was taken up with the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Central Haj Committee keeping in view the present climatic situation in the state. He said, "It is difficult for the Haj pilgrims from various districts to reach Srinagar due to incessant rains and flash floods in the state and the request was made to postpone the Haj flights for coming 2 to 3 days so that the Haj pilgrims could reach safely to Srinagar for their further journey."

He said that more than 50% Haj pilgrims from the state have left for Haj, hoping that the rest would be sent within a fortnight.

The minister was informed that about 275 Haj pilgrims were sent off on Thursday from the Haj House. He was further informed that alternate arrangements for comfortable stay of the Haj pilgrims have been made already in Srinagar and efforts are also afoot for dewatering the Haj House premises.